Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Yes, I've experienced many strange intuitive leaps which seem to go way beyond anything that can be explained rationally, but so what? Until science proves that ESP exists, I'm not inclined to believe that these are anything more than bizarre coincidences.

Last year, I read a brief line about mirror touch synesthesia (MTS) in an article about other interesting forms of synesthesia, many of which I have (e.g., grapheme-color-gender). I've read everything I can find about MTS since then, including reports on the research. I've corresponded with the main author of one of those studies. And thus, I finally believe that MTS exists. There is finally scientific research that supports something I've experienced any time someone touches themselves. I realize how little time I spend looking at other people. I try to block the sensations, even when I watch movies or TV. My mirror touch even extends to inanimate objects, which makes sense to me because I see all of them as being sentient.

Perhaps someday a scientist will prove ESP, and then I'll believe it as well, but until then I'll be in the limbo where I can say, "Yes, I have this but, as a rational human, I choose not to believe it."